Teagasc Report Highlights Inequity In Farm Policy

The Teagasc report this week that found that just 34% of farms in the west of Ireland region are financially viable even if the farmer has a part time job is further evidence to support what I have been saying all along about the direction of Government and EU policy on farming. The reality is that Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 funding must be directed more towards the small family farm. Any CAP review must address the imbalance that exists currently. The big farmers and ranchers are favoured at present while the small family farms are losing out and the gap is widening all the time. This is a matter that I will continue to pursue. We have to preserve our small family farms which are the bedrock of local rural communities.